News Release
“It takes a village” to support a community garden.
An enthusiastic crowd of about 75 attended the 23rd Annual Pie Auction at the Patagonia Community Garden on a perfect fall day on September 13.
Thank you to all our working Board, volunteers and generous donors for supporting the garden with your time, talents and purchases, making this a friend-raiser as well as a fundraiser!
Big thanks to the 20 event volunteers, to the pie bakers for the 26 delicious donated homemade pies, to the musicians, and to all the generous donors who made this a lovely, delicious and financial success!
The afternoon started with Zach Farley wowing the crowd with a concert of his homegrown instruments. This was followed by a live auction of 26 pies—and one sweet organic watermelon, donated by Farmer Richard—run by auctioneer Kathy Crawford. An Asian dinner, catered by Kim and Cody Moreno, was then enjoyed under the tree canopy while Jack Heiss and Krysa Kobryner serenaded the gathering. The garden was at its best, pollinator flower beds in full bloom and strings of lights giving a magical ambiance.
Lots of great prizes were raffled, with lucky winners receiving three bottles each of local wines, a wine tasting and charcuterie lunch, a massage by Alyssa, and a grand prize of two nights in a spacious Airbnb house in Marana, donated by Melissa Rich. The Raffle generated $600.
The Pie Auction bidding was animated and exciting, with Jude Weierman capturing five pies, with bids in the hundreds of dollars.
The Pie Auction, which raises basic operating expenses for the Garden, netted about $5,000 after expenses. Thank you to all our generous pie purchasers!! This will cover about half of the garden’s anticipated annual expenses.
If you missed the event and wish to support the community garden, your one-time or ongoing donations are still greatly appreciated. Contributions can made by donating at patagoniacommunitygarden.org or use our colorful, donation mailboxes in the garden.
A special appreciation to this year’s Board and organizers who worked to create this lovely community event: David Fain, Gisa Krueger, Kathy Pasierb and Nathan Shumway, Julie Underwood, Mary Sky Schoolcraft, and new Board members Ann Rodriguez and Murphy Musick.
Huge thanks to the 20 volunteers who helped with signs, gate, raffle, dinner, bar, set up etc.Kristen Chung Brancaleone, Barbara Ellis, Georgette Laurouy, Susan Lange, Nathan Shumway, Eve Smith, Patricia Brandenberger, Janie Hartline, Clare Bonelli & Mike Sweedo, Patty Cooper, Terry Stanford, Lilly Cottam, Richard Gambino, Raub Owens, Jonathan Sorrell, Joni Stellar, Renee Finney & Mimi, Jude Weierman, Mary Spicer, Krysa Kobryner, Kathy West, Espen Hayes, and any others who I’ve forgotten to name!
Special thanks to Sylas Lattanzio and Armando Figeroas for their work enhancing the ramada and the garden grounds.
We missed seeing a lot of our favorite familiar faces… Please come visit the garden soon… and remember we have plenty of garden plots and grow bins available for you to plant fall root vegetables and enjoy harvesting organic greens all winter (lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, etc.). Volunteers are always welcome to contribute to the garden, too!